Melon tongs or carrier



Dec. 6, 1949 w, PAYNE 2,490,467

MELON TONGS OR-CARRIER- Filed Aug. 20. 1948 INVENTOR. William/9. Payne BY v ATTOH/VEYS Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MELON TONGS OR CARRIER William H. Payne, Lytle, Tex. Application August 20, 1948, Serial No. 45,3 71

2 Claims. (Cl. 294-46) This invention relates to means for carrying bulky objects, such as watermelons, and particularly to melon tongs or a carrier therefor.

The main object of my invention is to provide a special type of tongs adapted to clasp and support a watermelon or other large melon or vegetable to facilitate handling thereof.

tioned type provided with special melon-clasping jaws which are of such form and sufficiently capacious to ensure that no sharp edges or corners are presented to the melon, but only smooth engaging portions thereof.

An important object is to produce melon-carrying tongs which are simple and light in construction, effective in use and not likely to get out of order.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in further detail as the specification proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of this invention for a proper appreciation of the salient features -thereof,.the invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a melon tongs or carrier made according to the invention and embodying the same in a practical form; the tongs being shown in expanded condition;

Figure 2 is another view of the same tongs in contracted condition when the tongs serve to carry a melon;

Figure 3 is'a top plan view of the melon tongs of Figure 2; 11

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged section of detail; v V

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5--5 in Figure 2.

, In the views the same reference numerals indicate the same or like parts. 1 7

It is well known to all who have attempted to carry or handle a watermelon that such melons are very difficult and tiresome to carry under the arm or in anyother manner, and that to do so is quite a feat. In fact, on farms where the melons are grown, a certain loss occurs because the melons are so bulky and difficult to carry and handle, and there is, therefore, a real need for therefrom. Upon the bars something to change this arm-fatiguing and backbreaking chore into a convenient maneuver, although apparently no constructive attention has heretofore been paid to this field.

Ithas, therefore, occurred to me that some type of tongs should be available to seize a melon as large and bulky as a watermelon in a positive though harmless manner; no matter what the size of the melon or how smooth and round its surface. After duly considering this problem, I have succeeded in producing a special type of melon-clasping tongs which fulfill the foregoing objects to an outstanding degree, as will now be particularly described.

. Hence, in the practice. of my invention, and referring againto the drawing, a melon clamp, generally indicated at 6, primarily includes a pair of longitudinally-slidable bars I and 8, each of which is provided with an integral arcuate arm 9 and. II), respectively, and extending downwardly I and 8 are mounted apair ,of collars ,II and I2through each of which both bars 1 and 8 etxend. To the mentioned collars Hand I2 are pivotally connected a pair oflinks in such fashion that one link I3 is pivoted at I4 to the forward part of collar II and the second link [5 to the rear of collar I2 at I6. The arrangement is such that the pin or screw I4 serving as the pivotal connection between the arm [3 and collar II is sufliciently long to extend also into the longitudinal bar 8 so that collar I I will follow this member in movement, while merely slidably engaging about longitudinal member 1. In the same manner, the pin or screw I6 forming the pivotal connection between arm I5 and collar I2 is sufficiently long to extend not only through the first portion of the collar engaged thereby, but also into the rear longitudinal bar I so that collar l2 will follow the latter in movement, while sliding uponbar 8. The upper end I1 of link.I3 is offset "rearwardly in order to be disposedv substantially in the same vertical plane as the mutual contact plane of the two bars land 8,. while in similarifashion the upper end I8 of theother link I5 is-forwardly offset to the same plane, the twoupper ends I1 and I8 being connected by pivot pins'l9 and 20 to a handle ZI into which the upper ends I! and [8 of links l3, and I5 extend. The arrangement is such that the longitudinal bars I and 8 may be slid apart while in mutual sliding engagement into the extended position shown in Figure 1 wherein the downwardly-arched arms 9 and I0 thereof are spread widely apart, while the handle 2| is lowered almost in contact with the bars and links 'shaped brackets to facilitate automatic according to the size and shape of the melon to be l3 and I5 brought down nearly into horizontal position. Upon pulling handle 2| upwardly, the links l3 and I5 will draw collars II and I2 together and thereby slide bars 1 and 8 longitudinally past each other to a sufiicient degree to bring the arms 9 and I0 thereof closer together, as shown in Figure 2, with the links l3 and I5 substantially in erect position.

In orderto utilize the movement just described, a pair of short links 22 and 23 are attached at the upper portions of the arcuate arms 9 and I0 and to these links 22 and 23 are pivotally connected the upper inwardly-directed ends 24, 25 of apair of jaws or scoops 26, 21 which at their lower ends 28, 29 are directed inwardly toward each other, while at the outer sides openings 30, 3| are cut to lighten the structure. Pivot pins 32, 33

serve to connect the links 22 and 23 just men-.

tioned with the upper ends of the scoop-shaped jaws.26, 21 so thattheiaws are virtually pendently held with the arms 9 and In. The lower ends 34, 35 of arms 9 and I9 have a pair of U- 36, 31 secured thereto by pins 38, 39 for resiliently receiving the lower ends 28,

29 of scoop jaws 26 and 21 and guiding these 'jaws in such fashion as to retain them virtually in the same vertical planes as the arms 9 and H1 within which they are mounted. In addition, upon the inner sides of the lower ends 34 and 35 40, 4| bearing resiliently against the under side the lower ends 28 and 29 with the arms and also adjustment of the jaws clasped by said jaws.

When the device is to be used to lift a water- .melon 42, it is expanded by bringing down handle 2| near longitudinal members 1 and 8, as shown in Figure 1, when the scoop jaws 2B, 21 will be sufficiently extended apart to allow them to be passed down about the melon, after which mere seizure of the handle 2| and upwardpulling upon the same will cause the two bars 1 and 8 to slide by each other sufliciently .to bring the scoop jaws 26, 21 into contact with the melon, as best shown in Figure 2, when the handle 2| may be .used to carry the melon without any danger of the latter I I falling out of the jaws 26, 21 or being injured by any portion thereof. The section of either one of the jaws, as shown in Figure 5, there discloses that the jaws are arcuate and of sufiicient radius upon the inside to envelop the ends of the melon and thereby hold the latter between them. It is self-evident from the nature of the construction that any size of melon will be readily clasped and carried by meansof thedevice, as the length of the melon is accommodated between the scoop jaws within wide limits merely by the sliding of longitudinal members 1 and 8 past each other, and dueto the tendencyof the links l3 and I5 to-pull upon the'barsby means of collars land |2, the heavier the melon,

the more certainly will the jaws 26, 21 supported by outer arcuate arms 9 and Ill be drawn together in a gripping relation with respect to the ends of the melon involved.

From the foregoing, it is evident that what is ordinarily a diflicult and troublesome chore,

of arms 9 and III are fixed a pair of leaf springs 't armi of elongated bars disposed in parallel slidable contact, a downwardly-extending convexly-arcuate arm integral upon one end of one bar and a second downwardly-extending convexly-arcuate tegral upon the other end of the other bar, a pair of collars spaced apart upon both bars, one-collar being fixed upon one bar adjacent to the junction of the straight or elongated portion thereof with the arcuate arm thereonand slidably surrounding the other bar,- and the other collar being similarly fixed on said other bar adjacent to the junction thereof with the arcuate arm thereon, and slidably surrounding the firstmentioned bar, a pair of links individually pivoted at one end of each to the collars, a handle pivoted at the ends thereof to the other end of each link, a pair of opposed arcuate scoop members forming jaws individually located within the arcuate arms of said bars, and means connecting the scoop members individually to the respectively-adjacent arcuate arms.

2. A melon tongs or carrier, including a pair of elongated bars disposed in parallel slidable contact, a downwardly-extending convexly-arcuate arm integral upon one end of one bar and a second downwardly-extending convexly-arcuate arm integral upon the other end of the other 'bar, a pair of collars spaced apart upon both bars,

one collar being fixed upon one bar adjacent to the junction of the straight or elongated portion thereof with the arcuate arm thereon and slidably surrounding the other bar, and the other collar being similarly fixed on said other bar adjacent to the junction thereof with the arcuate arm thereon, and slidably surrounding the first-mentioned bar, a pair of links individually pivoted at one end of each to the collars, a handle pivoted at theends thereof to the other end of each link, a pair of opposed arcuate scoop members forming jaws individually located within the arcuate arms of said bars, a pair of short links individually pivoted at oneend of each to the upper portions of the arcuate arms and at the lower ends to the upper end portions of the scoop members, a pair of lo eating U-shaped guide members individually transversely fixed'at the intermediate portions thereof upon the inner sides of the lower ends of said arcuate arms with the limbs of each U- shaped guide member centrally guiding and supporting the lower end of the respectively-adjacent scoop member, and an upwardly biased spring upon each of saidlower ends of said arcuate arms within the U-shaped guide member thereon bearing upwardly against the under side of the lpwer end of the respectively-adjacent scoop member.

WILLIAM H. PAYNE.

No references cited. 

